a multimuse by sage

Eddie wasn't about to let Dean freeze. They'd been jamming for a good few hours now and it'd gotten dark, which meant that it had also gotten cold. Seeing Dean without a jacket, he'd went out to his van and came back with one of the blankets he kept in there, picking the nicest one. Draping it over his shoulders, he gave him a smile as he turned to look at him.

There was a certain comfort in starting over; in being seen, but not seen through.

True to her word, Aoife's apartment did, in fact, only require a short walk, and after she let him inside, he had to smile at the cat with a one-track mind.

"Hell, can't blame her for that," Carter said, discreetly skimming the pictures on her wall. "If I was a cat, I'd only think about eating too. Maybe the occasional catnip and scratching post. No randy owners could keep me from what I wanted."

Eyes crinkling warmly around the edges, he stooped enough to meet her kiss, an instant wave of heat flooding through him at her promise. "Okay," he murmured, attempting nonchalance. "I'll, uh...I'll meet you in there, I guess."

Sparing Aoife one last glance over his shoulder, Carter headed down the corridor before pushing into her bedroom. Just like the front of her apartment, it was clean and warm and orderly, and he felt hopelessly out of place standing there, his hands opening and closing as he glanced around. There was something intimate about seeing another person's living space. In some regards, it was like seeing inside their head, their soul, which was likely why Carter kept most of his belongings tucked away behind locks.

Beginning to pace, he moved from one end of the room to the other. Should he disrobe? Sit on her bed? Or was all of that too forward? God, it had been too long...

Lacing his hands behind his head, Carter was about to wear a hole into her carpet from his constant back-and-forth, back-and-forth, but that was when Aoife reappeared and he jerked toward her, skidding to a stop. Sheepish, he greeted, "Hey, uhh...sorry. I figured I'd save you the jumpscare of coming in here with my pants already off."

When Aoife walks into the bedroom she smiles seeing how nervous he was seems to relax her. An amuse smile playing on her lips as she walks over to him. "A year?" She remembers what he'd said about being stabbed. So he's stabbed and tries to stay for a year. He realizes that he needs a fresh start and that's how he ends up here. It all clicks into place in her mind and she nods. Something about making sense of all of this is good to her.

"You won't have to make it two years, don't worry. Just relax will you, darling? Deep breaths." Aoife teases before she moves closer to him. She pulls off her top and tosses it to the side suddenly grateful she'd worn a pretty bra. Soft black lace makes her boobs look good. She smiles, reaching out to touch his cheek again.

Aoife drags him down just enough she can kiss him again. This time she can draw that kiss out far more since they're not in the middle of a bar. When she does pull back, she smiles, kissing his cheek then his jaw. She's leaving lipstick all on his face but she doesn't think he'll mind it. At least she hopes not.

Gary is nice. Kind of. He’s just far more insecure, shy, and defensive than he is friendly. In a constant state of 'get them before they get you first.' And he’s just lucky he’s a good enough of a lay, and with enough friends in common, that Collie stuck around long enough to peel off Gary’s mask along with his clothes.

[ 📲 : big dick loser ] sry i’m nervous [ 📲 : big dick loser ] u promise? [ 📲 : big dick loser ] u told her im a boy? n she doesn’t care?

He’s told Jenny- he’s told her nearly everything- his uncle and his wife have definitely caught on, and his Meemaw likely hasn’t but he doesn’t think she’d be surprised; Gary being gay. It’s his mother that’s the real concern. So, naturally, he’s anxious to be reassured Collie's mother won’t be the same.

[ 📲 : big dick loser ] i never dated anybody. i just wanna make sure i do ok when i talk to her

It's probably infinitely obvious, and unnecessary to tell him. Gary hadn’t ever even kissed a boy when he got to college. And now he has a boyfriend. Not to mention one that’s hot, far more likable than he is, and an athlete. Fingers crossed he never gets checked out for the brain injury he clearly has to want Gary in the first place. Exclusively so.

Collie rolls his eyes, a smile forming as he reads those texts. The uncertainty is sweet in a way. It's clear Gary wanted to make a good first impression. He wanted Collie's mom to care which she would. If there was one thing Tallulah Parker did it was care. With her big bright smile always fussing after someone or rushing to help. Always there, always present, and always caring.

[ txt: emotional support white boy ] She knows you're a boy [ txt: emotional support white boy ] She's happy that I'm happy that's just who my mom is it'll be okay

The thought of getting back to school sounds like paradise. Sleeping in that cramped dorm room with Stebbins snoring a few feet away sounded perfect. Of course he felt guilty about thinking that. He should be happy to be home with his family but oh he wants his peace back. The little slice of freedom outside of a big family that leaned on him for every little thing.

He shakes his head slightly, the corner of his mouth twitching with something caught between genuine sympathy and undeniable amusement.

"And here I was assuming he just always looks that pissed off at the world." A pause, dry as ever. "Not that I have much room to judge expressions, admittedly."

Elias straightened up off the counter, rolling one shoulder like he's shaking off the last of whatever he'd let slip, and studies her for a second with the kind of look that suggests he's still slightly baffled at himself. A look that even he knows is comical, set against his usual disinterested gaze; something closer to bemusement than the flat, unreadable calm he's known for.

"Alright I'll leave it for now but I do need to know what not a modern day romantic means. Because when I hear modern day romantic I assume the worst. Dating is a goddamn nightmare." She says with a smile. Spilling her own guts seems to come naturally to her. He doesn't need to know most of this is surface level though. If he stuck around long enough he'd figure that out but most people never got that far.

"I don't spread information as freely as some your vague secrets are safe with me." She jokes before fixing her position and reaching back to adjust her hair in her claw clip. Of course she enjoyed a bit of gossip with Princess and Perlah. She also knew there were limits to these things and you had to be careful what you did or didn't say.

"Yeah, 'course. I'll call it in while you shower, so it'll get here 'round the time you're off the phone." It's not that Gary doesn't work much, but a lot of his work can be done at home, and whenever he wants. And since Gary's still a bit of an insomniac, who still wants to go to bed with Collie every night, he does a lot of it in the middle of the night. On his laptop as dimly lit as possible, some music or podcast playing in his earbuds, and Collie fast asleep holding Gary's back against his chest.

Which gives him the opportunity to have a lot of free time during the day, if he wants it. Time he can use to play housewife, if he wants it. And even if he'd rather die than have anyone know, he's really taken to it. The fact that Gary knows Collie well enough to know all his minuscule little preferences, but that he's actually helpful. That Gary's actually someone's safe space, their calming presence, since he with himself feels anything but.

"Thanks I appreciate it." Collie says, moving closer and kissing Gary's cheek. He needed someone to steer things right now because his brain was mush. It had taken so long for him to even be okay with that. To let someone else take the reins on anything because it was supposed to be his job. He was supposed to do everything himself but he'd grown to trust Gary in a way that made him give over control once in a while.

"Whatever you wanna watch. Can it please be something light though? I just don't think I can handle somethign depressing right now." Collie says giving Gary one more kiss before he retreats to the bedroom. He grabs comfy clothes then heads into the bathroom.

Slowly, his smile faded and he nodded. "Yeah," he murmured. "I mean...yeah, I guess you're right. Can't say I've had much fun in a long time."

He could count back to the precise moment, but he'd already dwelt too long on the past that evening. Finishing off his drink, Carter found his mouth was still unspeakably dry as he pushed the glass aside. It seemed...strange to be nervous, given the number of partners he'd had over the years. He racked up countless flings like bowling pins, and yet they were never meaningless -- he always remembered their names and faces -- but in this moment, he knew Aoife would be the first since before his accident. She might touch his scars, feel them, and the thought made Carter's stomach twist.

"Love the enthusiasm but I don't think I can get out of these jeans in the backseat of a car. I do live in walking distance if you'd like to come over to my place."

Drawing a breath in through his nose, Carter offered a hurried nod. "Yeah," he agreed. "Okay, let's get out of here."

Aoife laughed at his caution, her eyes gleaming as she slid off her stool and stood between his parted legs. Before he could ask if she was sure, her mouth descended over his own in a firm, heated kiss, devouring his breath as he clumsily grasped at her hips and squeezed. Her tongue stole over his and he opened his mouth to better accept her, the taste of alcohol flooding his senses, and making him dizzy as he groaned and shifted his hips to abate the sudden pulse of heat in his lap.

Aoife broke the kiss, and Carter sagged onto his elbow, catching his weight against the counter. He cleared his throat. "Sure," he choked in reference to her command. "I'll, uh...I've got it covered. The bill, that is. Not...not..." Another press of her lips silenced his bumbling words, and then she wiped a streak of lipstick off his chin, which had heatedly smeared amidst their ardor.

Embarrassed, Carter watched her saunter off, and ignoring the knowing leer from the bartender, he requested the tab and paid off their drinks.

He waited a bit longer -- in truth, he was afraid to stand up, lest everyone see how enthused she'd made him -- and steeling himself, Carter rose on wobbly legs before heading outside and going over to stand against the brick siding. Before long, Aoife made her appearance, and his shoulders sagged in relief.

"Well I suppose you can start having fun now then," Aoife says with a playful wink. She didn't mind it at all she really needed this right now. A perfect way to forget her day and focus on anything else. Focusing on some cute doctor really is the perfect way. It had worked before and she's sure it would work again this time.

Aoife tries to be quick with saying goodbye to everyone. A few people stop her for a moment. Quick talks and maybe some light teasing for the kiss. She gives a few people hugs before heading out the front door. "You're new they'll start treating you like that eventually. I have been at PTMC since I finished nursing school." She smiles. "That and the charming with a great accent thing. It brings a lot more people into your orbit than you'd think."

"It's not that far of a walk I promise. We'd spend more time getting in and out of the car." Aoife says before she reaches out. She motions for him to follow before she starts heading in the direction of her apartment. It feels nice outside and the cool people were all around chatting and enjoying themselves. Yet she found herself stealing glances over at Carter, smiling at him.

After a short walk they're at her apartment. She unlocks the front door and turns on the lights. Her apartment is clean but looks lived in. Quilt on the sofa, books and trinks on a bookshelf, and lots of photos on the wall. There's a shirp and a fluffy white cat plots down from the couch. "Right- I've got to feed her or she'll kick down the bedroom door later." She points to the little hall. "My room is the farthest door and middle door is the bathroom if you need it. Just leave the closest door alone."